The present invention relates to the field of cellular cushioning material. More specifically, the present invention relates to cellular cushioning material and to a method for the production thereof on as-needed, real-time basis.
Packaging material is used in many different industries for securing the safe storage and transportation of a variety of goods. However, because of its function as both an insulator and shock-absorber, packaging material is usually extremely bulky, leading to high storage and transportation costs, as well as inconvenience. Cellular cushioning, a type of packaging material having air-filled pockets, is marketed and sold with the pockets already inflated and sealed shut. While providing a high degree of shock-absorbancy and protection, cellular cushioning presents a huge inconvenience both to its manufacturers and to users due to its bulkiness and due to the hassle involved in its transport and storage. A more convenient and user-friendly cellular cushioning material would prove to be of great advantage to modern industry.
U.S. Pat. No 4,096,306 to Larson describes a strip material that may be inflated and sealed at the site of the intended use to form cushioning material. The strip material comprises two heat sealable films which are fused together in discrete areas to form two rows of inflatable chambers along the strip and a passageway extending the length of the strip material between the rows. Each chamber has an inlet opening communicating with the passageway. The strip material is inflated by propelling the passageway in the strip over an air nozzle to inflate the chambers through their inlet openings, and the inlets are then sealed. Two preferred embodiments of the invention of U.S. Pat No. 4,096,306 are shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, to be further described.
While the above-mentioned offers certain advantages over other prior art, the present invention offers users a convenient and reliable method for the production of packaging material according to the real-time, specific needs of the user. The invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,306 does not allow the user to alter the cushioning material in any way, while the present invention enables the user to determine, among other things, the size of the individual cells of the cushioning material, the length of the packaging material, as well as other features, as to be described and appreciated further.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a novel method for the production of cellular cushioning material that is both hassle-free and highly convenient. According to the method of the present invention, a user is provided with non-inflated packaging material. The non-inflated packaging material has a unique design that allows for simple and straightforward inflation of a desired length of the material by the user. The user inflates the material on an as-needed, real-time basis. This method is in sharp contrast to other methods known in the art, wherein the cellular cushioning material is sold to users with the cells already inflated. In the present invention, the ability of the user to complete formation of the material himself eliminates the need for large storage space typically required. It furthermore allows for production of a specific size or length of cellular cushioning in a neat and orderly manner. Because it is only inflated by the end user, the cushioning material produced in the method of the present invention is convenient to store and distribute to users. For this reason it also has the potential to reduce costs significantly while providing cellular cushioning material that is stronger than those currently available.
The present invention relates to a method for the production of cellular cushioning material, comprising;
(a) providing a pre-welded sheet comprised of at least two layers of plastic pre-welded in a predetermined manner so as to have a plurality of diagonally oriented, inflatable sleeves extending substantially the entire width of said sheet, and a longitudinally extending air entry passage, wherein each of said inflatable sleeves has an opening for allowing entry of air from said air entry passage into said sleeve;
(b) injecting air into said sheet through said air passage;
(c) sealing a section of said sleeves so as to form a row of inflated cushioning cells;
(d) repeating step (c) until the desired number of rows of inflated cushioning cells is obtained.
While the pre-welded sheet preferably is comprised of two layers of plastic, it is appreciated that it may also be comprised of more than two layers, for providing, for example, more durable cushioning cells.
The longitudinally extending air entry passage is preferably located at one side of the sheet or in the center of the sheet, as to be further seen in the Figures. The openings in the inflatable sleeve lead to the air entry passage for allowing air passage therethrough during inflating of the sleeves.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the method further comprises separating the rows of inflated cushioning cells from the remainder of the sheet. The user device employed for inflating and final sealing of the material may be adapted for performing a full cut in order to separate the inflated cushioning cells from the remainder of the material. Alternatively, the user device may be adapted for creating perforations in the cushioning material, such that manual separation of the cushions may be accomplished by separating along the perforations. In other embodiments, the user receives the pre-welded sheets already having perforations (made by the manufacturer), also enabling manual separation of the cushions by separating along the perforations.
In further preferred embodiments of the present invention, the method further comprises dispensing the pre-welded sheet from a dispensing roll.
The present invention further relates to the cellular cushioning material produced through the aforementioned method.
The present invention also relates to a method for the production of cellular cushioning material, comprising;
(a) providing a sheet having at least two layers of plastic;
(b) welding said at least two layers of plastic to one another in a predetermined manner so as to form a plurality of diagonally oriented, inflatable sleeves extending substantially the entire width of said sheet, and a longitudinally extending air entry passage, wherein each of said inflatable sleeves has an opening positioned for allowing entry of air from said air entry passage into said sleeve;
(c) injecting air into said sheet through said air entry passage;
(d) sealing a section of said sleeves so as to form a row of inflated cushioning cells;
(e) repeating step (d) until the desired number of rows of inflated cushioning cells is obtained;
The longitudinally extending air entry passage is preferably located at one side of the sheet or in the center of the sheet, as to be further seen in the Figures. The openings in the inflatable sleeve lead to the air entry passage for allowing air passage therethrough during inflating of the sleeves.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the method further comprises separating the rows of inflated cushioning cells from the remainder of the sheet. The user device employed for inflating and final sealing of the material may be adapted for performing a full cut in order to separate the inflated cushioning cells from the remainder of the material. Alternatively, the user device may be adapted for creating perforations in the cushioning material, such that manual separation of the cushions may be accomplished by separating along the perforations.
In further preferred embodiments of the present invention, the method further comprises dispensing the pre-welded sheet from a dispensing roll.
The present invention further relates to the cellular cushioning material produced through the aforementioned method.
The present invention additionally relates to inflatable cellular cushioning material adapted to be inflated by a user on an as-needed, real-time basis, comprising at least two layers of plastic pre-welded to one another in a predetermined manner so as to form a sheet having a plurality of partially closed, diagonally oriented, inflatable sleeves extending substantially the entire width of said sheet, and a longitudinally extending air-injector passage, wherein each of said inflatable sleeves has an opening positioned for allowing passage of air from said air-injector passage into said sleeve. In some embodiments, at least at a portion of places where the plastic layers have been pre-welded to one another, there are perforations for enabling manual separation of the cellular cushioning material after it has been inflated. The diagonally oriented, inflatable sleeves may have straight edges, or may have edges having any type of desired curvature or contour.